Aberdeen City Council chiefs claim to have been “left in the dark” by the Scottish Government after requesting further details about a £254million funding package announced in January.
The investment was confirmed on the same day – January 28 – as a £250million City Region Deal, delivered on a 50-50 basis by Westminster and Holyrood, for the north-east.
But administration members have said the infrastructure package had been promised “four times before” and Scottish government ministers declined to sign a legally binding “heads of terms” agreement.
Now, council leader Jenny Laing has accused SNP candidate Keith Brown, formerly infrastructure minister, of a “palpable lack of urgency” in delivering the funds with parliament dissolving for the upcoming election.
She also questioned why the Scottish Government had committed more money to Inverness in the latter’s City Deal.
The Highland capital’s population is a quarter of the Granite City’s, yet it received £130 million compared to Aberdeen’s £125 million.
She said: “Keith Brown is being disingenuous in the extreme.
“It has been months since the Scottish Government made their announcement on the back of the city deal and our big fear is that the promises made to the people of Aberdeen don’t materialise.
“The City Region Deal is progressing and a committee has been set up to move it forward.
“However, until a governance arrangement, equal to the city deal, is implemented by the Scottish Government, the question remains: can the people of Aberdeen be sure the SNP Government will not renege on their pledge.”
Holyrood went into recess last Wednesday and MSPs will not return until after the Scottish Elections on May 5.
Finance convener Willie Young added: “They told us we would get this money in 2008, 2011, 2012 and now 2016.
“We’ve been left in the dark.”
But the administration was criticised by SNP candidate for Aberdeen central Kevin Stewart.
He said: “The government is committed to that additional £254million investment which will be a great boost to the north-east.
“Councillor Laing would be better off taking on the Westminster government over their lack of investment in the region.
“She seems happy to accept only £125million from them, but dismisses a combined investment of £379million from the Scottish government.”